Solar Power Generator

[Guest SUNTZU]

I found this information and thought it was a pretty neat idea. Basically a small solar power/battery array for running 12V items or charging batteries.

"How to make a solar power generator"

[poak]

Cool, nice link.

On a recent excursion to Costco, I found a small solar array sitting on their shelves. I think the price was $300... have no idea what kind of output the thing gave.

[Guest pl1ght]

awesome. I wish i could find more information on small DIY stuff like what you posted. I am not really interested at the moment and solar panelling my SHTF property etc yet, but would like to get into some small grab and go stuff just for camping or running a single small device.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Google solar panels backpacking and you get all kinds of links. Here's one with a video.

Portable Solar Power Panels and Systems For Backpacking Survival Wilderness Military And Other Uses - Portable solar power solutions - off grid solar system, solar powered generators

[Guest pl1ght]

Awesome thanks

[greenego]

Good info. Thanks

[JTENN.]

Have any of you guys considered small homemade steam engine for turning a back up generator ? I'm thinking one fired by wood, coal, sawdust,etc..

[Guest Gun Geek]

I am looking into wind power and solar, it is so dang expensive though, I guess it could be done with a bunch of deep cycle batteries and some old GM Alternators but how long would that last.

[Guest Mugster]

You're better off nickel and diming, imo. Go for the low hanging fruit like a low voltage well pump and a 1000 gallon tank and a solar panel. Go for a dedicated solar hot water heater. Stick in a solar powered heater with its own panel.

You try to put in your own powerplant for the whole mess with a big inverter, you're just pissing in the wind unless you got 30-40k or more to put into it.

[Guest SUNTZU]

I agree. You can set up a small solar power array for running a few lines (fridge, some lights, stove, tv, and laptop setup). This is what I want to do at the new place as a backup. I'll probably set up a deep cycle battery rack system though. It would be enough for some lights, mini fridge, and a laptop. Deep cycle batteries should have a long lifetime. That's with recharging, of course. The old submarines ran off batteries. I have no idea how long those batteries lasted before they went bad. As far as how long they are charged, you would have to test it. Its a backup system, not running your home off the grid.

[Guest Mugster]

Go hit harbor freight. They have the smaller inverters and even a solar kit. If you don't run the batts down under a half charge they'll last a few years. Its a slow death, they don't usually go all at once.

Fridge/stove/microwave will pull too much. Microwave is about 700-800 watts, normal fridge can be 1200 when the compressor kicks on. Stove...you don't want to think about that draw, but I bet a big range could go 2kw. Dunno about a micro fridge.

Get a 3.5-3.0kw hobby level chinese genset for backup, imo. Cost you $350, worth every penny if you lose power in the heat of the summer.

The rest of the stuff on your list is doable, imo. You might consider a separate 12 or 24 volt circuit if your building or buying a house. Just pull the wires yourself and get some RV lights and stuff like a 12 volt microwave. Saves on the inverter.

[Guest SUNTZU]

What about one of the 12v fridge/coolers? I'm trying to come up with a setup for my uncle who is diabetic. I want him to have something to keep his insulin chilled. Basically I want him to have a setup for one room in the house to take care of his medical needs. A light or two, one of the mini fridges or a 12v cooler, a fan. Nothing fancy. He has a generator. He also has the money to build a decent battery bank, though I don't know if he would want to sink the money into an inverter and solar panel array...maybe a small one. I was going to turn him onto one of these for his generator. This will help charge the batteries while the genset is running. I don't know a lot about solar arrays, obviously.

[Guest Mugster]

I gotta admit, I dunno much about RV stuff. A buddy of mine used to have a toy hauler and we raced a couple years out of it before he crashed it. He had something like this and ran it off a battery pack. But we only needed it for drinks and hamburgers, nothing critical. Seems like it lasted basically all saturday night to post race grill action about 2-3pm Sunday, sometimes in pretty hot weather. I dunno how big that power pack was though. He had a microwave I boiled water in for coffee a few times.

Koolatron P75 Kool Kaddy 12 volt Mini Fridge

Koolatron 12V Cooler - VF02G - Vending Fridge Thermoelectric Cooler - Koolatron 12 Volt Cooler

I don't really know what your looking at amp/wattwise. Or how practical they would be for what you want to do.

[Guest SUNTZU]

I mainly want to have something for backup if the power is out for three to five days. I'm trying to keep him from having to drop big money on a real system. The most important is keeping the insuling chilled. I would like a light in case he needs to use insulin at night. I'm going to research it a lot more. Thanks for the idea.

[Mark@Sea]

Propane powered fridge and some LED battery lights ought to do the trick.

Not concerned about lights/cooking at my place as long as I've got fuel. I am thinking about a second, manually operated well/pump. Heating isn't a problem, but AC... well, I can get by running my 'attic' fan, I guess, but will need a small genset for it.

Someone mentioned a steam engine... do-able, but it isn't something you can leave unattended,

[Guest Mugster]

This massive yuppie population increase we've had in middle tn has been fueled by conditioned air and a long commute. If gasoline goes up to $7-8 a gallon, I'd guess most of them won't be able to afford to cool those 3000-5000 sq. foot houses. Maybe they'll all move back up north. Shrug.

Attic fan isn't a bad idea. I have a heat pump in this dump. I threw in a small wall unit 2 years ago to just cool the bedroom. I can run that and the chest freezer off a 3.5kw genset. And the tv plus some small stuff.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Propane powered fridge and some LED battery lights ought to do the trick.

Not concerned about lights/cooking at my place as long as I've got fuel. I am thinking about a second, manually operated well/pump. Heating isn't a problem, but AC... well, I can get by running my 'attic' fan, I guess, but will need a small genset for it.

Someone mentioned a steam engine... do-able, but it isn't something you can leave unattended,

I have never heard of propane powered refrigerators. I've been googling. I don't know if he'd be willing to spend that kind of money on a fridge and a large source of propane. I'm sending him the information though.

Where were you considering installing the manual well?

[Guest 2HOW]

Solar Freedom PV Starter Kit

dont forget survivalblog.com has a vast resource on this subject

[Guest SUNTZU]

Thanks. I've lost a lot of bookmarks due to operator/girlfriend error.

[Mark@Sea]

I've got to put the well down in the clearing. If I have it drilled by the house, that adds a hundred feet to the depth.

How is the lantern working out for you? Need another one?

Not really concerned about a fridge. Got Sue everything she needs to can. You can can meat, it'll be good 15 years from now. Figure that if we lose power, what little in the fridge gets et right away. Big concern for me is a) WATER and keeping the house cool enough. Cooking, hot water, lighting, all taken care of. I've thought about building a larger steam engine, that would actually run a genset or alternator I could use to charge a battery, but it really is a pain in the nether regions.

My goal on canning/food storage is 90 days on-hand. I usually have 10-15 gals. of coleman fuel available. Hey, sometimes hobbies come in handy....

Lets' see: Water, Food, Shelter, first aid and defense... What have I forgotten, here?

Oh yeah, comms.... Hmmm..... how about a steam-powered internet connection? Might not be practical, but I'd have some killer bragging rights.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Lantern works great! We used it one night during a power outage. I had it out again today but they miraculously got our power turned on withing three hours. I'm waiting to see what the new house is going to need for emergency lighting. We should start moving at the end of next week. Can you open any of your high windows? That could create a cross breeze as well as let out rising heat.

[Mark@Sea]

I'm not home, I am aboard USNS Mount Baker (an ammo ship - hahahahahahahaha...).

Um, yeah, several windows upstairs can be opened.

Next time I can get home, see if you can swing by. We'll get you another lantern or two rebuilt, and a stove. Gotta have a stove.

[Guest SUNTZU]

an.......ammo.......ship.

Are you gone for roughly six months?

[Mark@Sea]

Actually, I am glued to the pier in Charleston right now..... I figure I will get home once a month or so.

[Guest SUNTZU]

I'll see what I can do the next time your home.